Those power outages are rare but when the happen, it takes a LONG time to repair. Everybody likes their electric lines underground, but they don't understand how much longer the restoration times are with underground.
It takes me and two other guys about an hour to replace an overhead transformer, about three to replace a pad mount transformer (an above ground transformer for underground cables). Put that same pad mount transformer in an underground vault and ... Ugh, what a pain in the Aston Martin. Now you're talking confined space certifications, air monitors, water, etc, etc. It's a nightmare.
I'd rather climb a 200' tower than work 10' underground in a vault.